Mike the Miracle

Mike, who had suffered a major stroke in 2013, graduated from Wesley Hospice on September 27th. His friends, family, and the team at Wesley Hospice are so joyous at the miracle that occurred for Mike and his family.

His wife, Nancy, tells Wesley Hospice his story:

It’s been a journey— my husband, Mike, had a major stroke in June 2013. I was his caregiver for two years, then he had some other complications. I was planning on taking him home after rehab, but they explained, “You can’t do this.” Mike had developed dementia and he truly needed 24/7 care. So, he stayed in the rehab wing for a while before being moved to memory care.

On Father’s Day, I got a call that no one wants to receive about their already ill spouse—he was going to the hospital for pneumonia. He was touch and go the entire time. Mike was on every machine there was. Once he was discharged, I was told he needed Hospice care. He was expected to pass within the next few days.

When it came down to choosing a hospice for Mike, I wanted to ensure that he had the best. I had dealt with a few other hospices in my life and I wondered—could it be better? When I talked to Africa, who was a good friend of mine and Community Relations Director for The Wesley Communities, she explained that I should interview different hospice providers before choosing. She also told me that The Wesley Communities provided services through Wesley Hospice. So, I added Wesley Hospice to the list of places I interviewed.

Terri, with Wesley Hospice answered all of my questions. But, more importantly, she gave me a lot of guidance on the pieces that never occurred to me. I had a good feeling, so I went with Wesley Hospice’s services.

I’ve already recommended Wesley Hospice to a friend and my main reason was the feeling of caring. It’s genuine for both parties—the patient and the family. Wesley Hospice gave me a feeling of reassurance knowing they were there and watching his needs. Every time his nurse, Amanda, visited Mike I got a text saying what was going on.

I had faith and hope through the whole thing. My children were concerned that I was not accepting the reality. “He only has days,” the doctor would explain. My daughter was focused on what the doctor said. I felt like my family thought I was delusional—it was nice to have Wesley Hospice there for me. Through the help I got through Wesley Hospice, it made me stronger as a person.

Once on hospice, his lungs cleared almost immediately! I remember like it was yesterday Amanda saying, “I just hear a small rattle” and a few weeks later she explained, “His lungs are clear.” This gave us hope.

He had stopped talking and showing emotion when we began hospice, but now he’s doing things that he wasn’t able to do before—he’s even off oxygen.

God sent all these angels to help us, and now he’s doing better than before he got sick. Amanda, his nurse, and Batina, Mike’s caregiver, were both very much a part of his healing—I can’t say enough. Bruce, Wesley Hospice chaplain, and Ann, Social Worker for Wesley Hospice, became a part of our lives as well.

Despite our more recent challenges, Mike and I have a wonderful life. We’ve been married 41 year. He’s full of life and fun. He got me to do things I never would have done because he was so adventurous! We did it all—honestly, we did it all. We golfed, fished, bowled, boated, threw parties, and camped. We did scavenger hunts with large groups—crazy stuff like that! We traveled often, especially to Mexico. We loved doing things that were fun and exciting.

Now, we can’t do as much as we once did, but I go visit every day. The nurses joke that they can tell when I walk in because his face lights up. We go for walks all over the place and like to spend time outside. We also enjoy going to the outings that the community he’s in provides.

To some people hospice means the end, but to me it meant more help for Mike and me. It helps to look at it in a different light. For me hospice was just a few more angels to help out. I’ve been singing praises ever since.

Any hospice is wonderful—anyone who has used the service will tell you that. But, Wesley Hospice is exceptional.

Wesley Hospice, and all of us at The Wesley Communities, are proud to see that Mike beat all of the odds and came out on top. Our mission is to help people like Mike thrive, despite the odds that may be against them!